Checking in with rookie cornerback Asa Jackson

Sometimes, blogger Matt Vensel fires a few questions at rookie cornerback and returner Asa Jackson. The Ravens’ fifth-round pick in April’s draft, Jackson is a Sacramento native who played his college ball at Cal Poly.

MV: A year ago, you were at Cal Poly trying to get with an NFL team. Now you’re getting ready to play in the Super Bowl. When you first got the call from the Ravens, is this what you expected to happen at some point?

AJ: When I got that call, I couldn’t have been asked to be put in a better situation, especially being a defensive player with all of the leaders on this team, just the mentality that this team has. I don’t know if anyone expects to be playing in the Super Bowl in their rookie season, but greatness is something that is expected around here. I’m fortunate and blessed to be in this situation, but I’m just taking it in day by day.

MV: What’s this past month been like for you, with you coming back from a suspension, tasting postseason football, getting banged up a little bit with a thigh injury and now you’re preparing for the Super Bowl?

AJ: It’s been real up and down. That’s part of the game. That’s part of life. It’s how you handle adversity and try to bounce back from it. I’ve just been trying to be diligent in the training room and get my leg right while getting all the mental reps I could in practice while I was out. Now, I just have to put it all back together for one last game.

MV: What has the reaction been like from family, friends and your fans from Cal Poly now that you’re playing in the Super Bowl?

AJ: It’s been good. It feels good to see that you have all that support back home, especially being so far away. Everyone is real excited for me. I have a lot of people hitting me up, saying congratulations and that they will be rooting for me. I also have a lot of friends and family back in California that are Niners fans. They’re going to be a little torn. But for the most part, I have a lot of people on my side, and that’s very exciting.

MV: Are people hitting you up for tickets?

AJ: Of course. Unfortunately for the, they’re not quite in the ticket budget range for Super Bowl tickets.

MV: Are your parents coming out, though?

AJ: Yeah, my parents are going to come. My younger brother is going to come. And some of my cousins and aunts and cousins are coming. I’m going to have a pretty good support group, but it’s not going to be crazy.

MV: Depending how it works out, that you are either going to be up for the game and out on the field or that you might not be active, what do you think the Super Bowl is going to be like on either end of the spectrum?

AJ: It’s going to be amazing. The Super Bowl is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Just being able to be on the field and do something, obviously I want to be out there playing and contributing. Even if I don’t, I’m going to be on the sideline cheering my butt off and trying to help the dudes that are playing any way that I can.